Delhi police stand by their version

Amid a raging debate over the arrest of suspected Hizbul Mujahideen militant Syed Liyaqat Shah, the Delhi Police remained firm in their contention that he crossed the border to supervise a deadly ‘fidayeen attack’ in Delhi.

The Delhi Police said on Saturday that they had concrete evidence to prove that Shah was sent by his handlers in Pakistan to carry out terror strikes in Delhi on Holi.

Rejecting the Jammu and Kashmir police’s claims that Shah had surrendered as part of their state’s rehabilitation policy, Delhi Police raised several questions.

Why was Shah illegaly entering India through Nepal? Why did he destroy his passport in Kathmandu? Why there were no Jammu and Kashmir police officers deputed on the Nepal border to recieve the alleged surrendered militant? These are some questions the Delhi Police have posed to challenge claims that the arrest of Shah was a hoax.

The Delhi Police have shared the details of Shah’s arrest and the alleged revelations he made with the Union Home Ministry, said a senior police officer.

SN Shrivastava, Special Commissioner (special cell), claimed that Shah was neither a ‘surrendered’ militant nor was he planning to surrender before the Jammu and Kashmir police.

According to Shrivastava, Shah was wanted in a case of waging war against the country registered at the Lalpura police station in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir in 2011.

The FIR, a copy of which is with HT, has names of 97 people, including Shah’s.

Shah was arrested on a specific input by central intelligence agencies that he was part of a deadly conspiracy.

Pak number on Shah’s phone?

The interrogation of Syed Liyaqat Shah, an alleged Hizbul Mujahideen member, has revealed that he was following instructions of Irfan, launching commander of the outfit based in Pakistan.

Investigators have found a Pakistani cell number in Shah’s cell phone, which he had used to contact Irfan. Shah disclosed that Irfan had asked him to reach Delhi and contact an Hizbul operative. This operative is the same man who took a room on rent near Jama Masjid.